Mail-carrier.



, PATENTED APR. '7, 1908.

R. CHAPMAN.

MAIL CARRIER.

` APPLICATION FILED 00T.' 26, 1907.

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R. CHAPMAN. MAIL CARRIER.

APPLICATION FILED 00T. 26, 1907.

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RUSSELL CHAPMAN, OF FINDLAY, ILLINOIS.

MAIL-CARRIER.

Specicaton of Letters Patent.

Patented April 7, 1908.

Application-filed October 26, 1907. Serial No. 399,342.

To all whom it may concern."

Be it known that I, RUSSELL CHAPMAN, a citizen of the United States, residing at Findlay, in the county of Shelby and State of Illinois, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Mail-Carriers, of which the following is a specil'ication.

This invention relates to mail carriers, and more particularly to that class of carriers in which over head tracks are provided, and has for its object to provide a device of this character whereby mail carrying cars may be easily and .quickly transported from a post-office station to a party in the vicinity of the oliice.

Other objects and advantages will be apparent from the following description and it will be understood that changes in the specific structure shown and described may be made within the scope of the claims without de arting from the spirit of the invention.

n the drawings forming a portion of this specification, and in which like numerals of reference indicate similar parts in the several views, Figure 1 is a side elevational View, Fig. 2 is a top plan view, Fig. 3 is a detail view of the switch and showing the engagement therewith of the switch operating means carried by the mail carrier, Fig. 4 is a vertical transverse sectional view through the mail carrier.

Referring now more particularly to the drawings, there is shown a plurality of vertically extending posts 5, and these posts are arranged along the route of a mail carrier. Each of the posts 5 are provided at their upper ends with brackets 6, and these brackets are thus arranged to support a main line wire 7. The line wire 7 terminates at one end at the post-office station, and along the line of this wire there are shown switch pieces 8 which are supported upon brackets 9 carried by posts 10. These switch pieces are arranged to connect branch lines 11 with the main line 5, as shown. Suitable springs 12 are provided for holding the inner ends of these switch pieces normally out of engagement with the line wire 5.

A mail carrier 12 is arranged to travel the branch line 11 and the main line 5, and this carrier consists of an elongated box 13. The box 13 is divided into two parts 14 and 15 by a partition 16. In one end of the box 13 there is an o ening 17, and this opening is provided with a hinged closure 18. A suitable latch is provided for holding thegdoor to the box 13, and this door is thus accessible to the lower part 15 of the box 13. The lower part 15 of the box 13 is thus arranged to receive mail or other matter to be transported. The upper part 14 of the box 13 is provided with a suitable electric motor 19, and this motor is electrically connected with an electrical source 2O which is also carried in the part 14 of the box 13. The shaft 21 of the motor 19 is provided with a bevel gear 22, and this gear is arranged to mesh with a gear 23 which is carried at the lower end of a vertically extending shaft 24. A bracket 25 is carried by the mail carrier 12', and this bracket is arranged to support i a revoluble rail engaging wheel 26. The rail engaging peripheral edge of the wheel 26 is provided with a rubber tire 27. The shaft 28 of the wheel 26 carries a bevel gear 29, and this bevel gear is -arranged to mesh with a similar gear 30 which is carried by the shaft 24 and at the upper end thereof. A suitable bracket 31 is carried by the mail carrier 12', and this bracket is provided with a bearing 32 for the shaft 24. A suitable switch 33 is provided for the motor 19. The mail carriers 12 are each provided with an individual switch operating foot 34, and it will be understood that each switch will be constructed in a manner to be operated by its respective switch engaging foot. It will thus be seen that the cars may be sent from the post-oilice station, and the cars will travel the main line 5 until the switch engaging foot is engaged by its proper switch l foot, and the car will thus be forwarded to the proper branch line.

Each of the cars are provided with spring fingers 35, and these :lingers are curved at their outer ends as shown at 36, to provide a socket 37. The sockets 37 will of course be engaged by a suitable socket receiving head 38 which is carried by a bracket 39. The car is thus held from further movement when it reaches its destination.

l/Vhat is claimed is:

The combination with a suspended rail including a main line and branch lines, switches arranged to connect the main line with said branch lines and spring means for holding said switches normally disengaged from the main line, of a carrier consisting of a receptacle having upper and lower compartments, a motor located in the lower compartment, a bracketcarried by said carrier and having its uppermendbenttogformspaced portions,

a rail-engaging wheel revolubly mounted bel shaft at the lower end thereof and in mesh 10 tween the spaced portions of said bracket, a with the gear carried by said motor and gear carried lby said rail-engaging wheel, a switch closing means carried by said carrier.

gear carried by the motor, a bracket carried l In testimony whereof I affix my signature by said first named bracket, a shaft carried in presence of two witnesses.

by said last named bracket, a gear carrie-d RUSSELL CHAPMAY. Y by the shaft at the upper end thereof and in Witnesses:

mesh with the gear carried by said rail-en- CHARLES WAGGONER,

gaging wheel, a second gear carried by said JOHN- AGNEY. 

